LAHORE- Over 4000 herbal companies have applied for the registration of their products till the end of the deadline 1st October, 2014 fixed by the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan(DRAP) while the licenses were not issued to even a

single company so far, which is causing frustration. This was learnt by a source associated with the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) and Ministry of Health. It was learnt that around 30,000 unregistered herbal drug companies had been operating in the whole country, while only 4000 bothered to apply for their enlistment and registration, while most companies, including some big firms, did not apply and filed some cases against the Health Bill for Alternative Medicines 2012, on which implementation was started in May 2014.

After the last date for applications for registration, the drug inspectors started to inspect the herbal drug manufacturing

companies without any guidelines, which also caused a sense of frustration among the owners of the companies.

Around 200 companies have been sealed, besides rounding up 50 persons belonging to the companies, which had applied for their registration. sources disclosed. When contacted, the DRAP officials stated that; Shortage of staff for not completing the process of scrutiny and provision of licenses to herbal companies, causing unnecessary delay. It further learnt that; only two persons, one Director – Salim Khan and another Deputy Director – Abdul Sattar Sorani, both pharmacists, were available to perform the task of scrutiny and issuance of licenses to these 4000 applicant companies. On the other hand, it was learnt that scores of companies had been minting money, by selling their products without any registration and now started opposing the process of registration of their products. Most of such companies have their head offices in Dubai, to avert registration and had

termed this act as a black law. As per the Act, registration fee for a company is Rs.10,000, while for a medicine; the fee of registration is fixed at Rs 250 to 2,000.